Health
Health and healthcare are at the forefront of disability rights issues. In these pieces, you’ll find insights on topics ranging from insurance and the need for systemic change within medical institutions, to the importance of self-care for your physical and mental well-being.
- Activism and Advocacy
- Autism and Neurodiversity
- Community Living
- Criminal Justice
- Disability History and Culture
- Disability Vote
- Education
- Emergency Preparedness
- Employment
- Family
- Health
- LGBTQIA+
- Media
- Mental Health
- Policy
- Race and Disability
- Relationships and Sex
- Sexual Harassment and Abuse
- Storytellers
- Technology
- Transportation
Living (and Leaving) Diagnostic Labels
When I was 20 months old, I was diagnosed with what was then known as Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). Recently, though, the terminology has changed to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), reflecting the often ambiguous origins and trajectory of the illness.…
The Harms of Perpetuating “Illness Fakers”
I had not long been a part of the online chronic illness community when I discovered the Illness Fakers page on Reddit. I only saw it because someone I followed was being harassed, and their content being taken apart on…
Accessible Housing is Healthcare. It Could Have Prevented My Hospital Readmission.
When my friend’s car pulled up to the front door of the hospital, I wanted to feel giddy with relief that I was finally heading home. Instead, my head spun with fatigue and vertigo. My body felt weak and my…
Cerebral Palsy Isn’t Just a Childhood Disability. That’s Why Adults with Cerebral Palsy Need Access to Healthcare, Too.
Being a disabled kid is hard. I think that’s something everyone knows, including abled people. But even when you’re a disabled kid, you don’t get prepared for the world of being a disabled adult. Over the past year, I’ve found…
Is Long COVID Leading to a Tipping Point in Attitudes Toward Chronic Illness?
Could long COVID spell the end of medical gaslighting? Let’s hope so. When Kathy Flaherty, a 53-year-old attorney and nonprofit executive director, got COVID-19 in March 2020, her friends said, “see you in two weeks.” Two weeks came and went,…
We Can’t Let Our Guard (Or Our Masks) Down
Recently, I overheard my father telling my husband about how he had quit his gym membership because they were requiring people to wear a mask during workouts. His list of reasons as to why this was uncomfortable for him was…
How Working From Home Has Helped Me with Eating Disorder Recovery
Content note: discusses experiences of eating disorders, treatment, and recovery A few years ago, a couple of months before my 30th birthday, I left London and left my job. I was on the verge of being detained under the Mental…
“Move Your Head” – A Lesson in Conquering Doubt and Worry
“What did you say?” I asked J.P. “You heard me. Move your head! It’s in the way!” We were within five inches of each other’s face. Close enough for a kiss, but the usually dreamy blue-green eyes of my husband…